Extraction apparatus

ABSTRACT

Soluble substances contained in vegetal matter are extracted by diffusion in an apparatus wherein a plurality of cells are successively filled with the vegetal matter at a charging station and displaced during the extraction operation to a discharge station where the exhausted vegetal matter is removed from the cells. Each cell has a glidably mounted cover for compressing the vegetal matter in the cell. A bolting mechanism holds the cover at a desired level in the interior of the cell after the cover has been moved to this level at the charging station to compress the vegetal matter in the cell.

United States Patent Dambrine 1 Sept. 26, 1972 [s41 EXTRACTION APPARATUS Francis Dambrine, Marcq en Baroeul, France [72] Inventor:

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data March 27, 1970 France ..7011105 [52] US. Cl. ..100/110, 100/72, 100/116, 100/219, 100/223, 210/D1G. 12

[51] Int. Cl ..B30b 9/06, 83% 15/02 [58] Field of Search....l0O/72, 73, 74, 110, 116, 177, 100/178, 208, 219, 223, 193; 210/D1G. 12,

2,452,638 11/1948 Drum et al ..100/116 2,808,935 10/1957 Sisley ..100/116 X 3,304,855 2/1967 Oebell ..100/223 X 3,646,881 3/1972 Rathjen et al. ..100/219 Primary Examiner-Peter Feldman Attorney-Kurt Kelman [5 7 ABSTRACT Soluble substances contained in vegetal matter are extracted by diffusion in an apparatus wherein a plurality of cells are successively filled with the vegetal matter at a charging station and displaced during the extraction operation to a discharge station where the exhausted vegetal matter is removed from the cells. Each cell has a glidably mounted cover for compressing the vegetal matter in the cell. A bolting mechanism holds the cover at a desired level in the interior of the cell after the cover has been moved to this level at the charging station to compress the vegetal matter in the cell.

11 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures Pmminsm r912 3.693.540

FIGJ I f 48 INVENTOR. FRANCIS DAMBRINE AGENT F IG.2

I N VEN TOR. FRANCIS DAMBRINE Wo d KMW AGENT PATENTED SEPZB I972 FIG.

FIG.6

INVENTOR. FRANCIS DAMBRINE X JLZ AGENT PATENTED I973 3 693. 540

sum 5 OF 6 I FIG.7 h I INVENTOR.

FRANCIS DAMBRINE AGENT KWLW' PATENTEDsms I972 SHEET 6 [IF 6 AGENT EXTRACTION-APPARATUS The present invention relates to improvements in apparatus for continuously extracting by diffusion soluble substances contained in vegetal matter. More particularly, it relates to the type of apparatus wherein a plurality of cells are displaceable between a charging station and a discharge station. The vegetal matter is charged in each cell at the charging station, the charged matter is treated during the displacement of the cell with a solvent for the soluble substances passing therethrough in countercurrent, and the exhausted vegetal matter is discharged from each cell at the discharge station.

It is the primary object of this invention to improve the extraction yields in this type of apparatus by compressing the treated matter and keeping it compressed during the entire extraction operation. This reduces the porosity of the matter being subjected to extraction and, therefore, its permeability which conversely, increases the wetting of the matter by the solvent. 7

The above and other objects are accomplished in accordance with the invention by glidably mounting a cover in the interior of each cell and maintaining the cover at a desired level in the cell by a bolting mechanism. Means is arranged at the charging station for glidably moving the cover in the interior of the associated cell, after the cell has been charged with the vegetal matter, to compress the charged vegetal matter therein. The bolting mechanism holds the cover in the interior of the cell during the entire extraction operation at the desired level to maintain the vegetal matter compressed in the cell.

The above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will be more. fully understood by reference to the following detailed description of certain preferred embodiments thereof, taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawing wherein FIG. 1 is a top plan view, partially broken away to view the interior, of an apparatus constructed accord ing to this invention; l

FIG. 2 is a section along line 11-" of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic developed view of a diffusing arrangement to illustrate its operation;

FIGS. 4 to 7 are detailed views showing the operation of the compressing means;

FIG. 8 schematically illustrates the operation of a feeding means delivering vegetal matter to the cells; and

FIGS. 9 to 13 are detailed views of the cover and bolting mechanism.

Referring now to the drawing, wherein like reference numerals designate like parts operating in. a like manner in all figures, FIGS. 1 and 2 show a rotary annular tank 6 having vertical axis 2. The bottomless tank 6 is constituted by circular inner wall 8 and outer wall 10 concentric with the inner wall, the inner and outer walls being interconnected by radial walls 12 which divide the tank into a plurality of cells 14, each cell being defined by segments .of the concentric walls and a pair of radial walls. The interior wall 8 of the tank is connected by spider arms 16 to hub 18 which turns freely about a spindle 20 whose axis is coextensive with axis 2 of the diffusion tank 6. Outer wall 10 carries annular rim 22 serving as a means for rotating the tank about spindle 20. The drive of the tank about its axis is provided by fluidoperated jacks 24 arranged circum-v ferentially about the tank for acting upon pins 26 equidistantly spaced about the circumference of the tank on rim 22.

Continuous rotation of the tank is assured by the use of at least two groups of jacks'operated successively. Each group of jacks comprises at least two diametrically opposed jacks operating simultaneously so as to couple the tank rim to the pair of opposed jacks. Each jack 24 is connected to a return jack 28 arranged to cause the jack 24 to pivot about a vertical axis 32 whereby a jaw at the outer end of the piston rod of the jack 24 is brought into and out of engagement with a respective pin 26.

This drive for displacing the cells 14 between a charging station and a discharge station is illustrated by way of example only, and other drive means will readily occur to those skilled in the art. For instance, a rack and pinion drive may be used to accomplish the same purpose.

The tank is rotatably supported on the fixed base of the apparatus by means of a series of rollers 38 arranged coaxially about the tank and engaged by annular platforms 34 and 36 respectively carried by the inner and outer walls of the tank near the bottom thereof, the rollers 38 being freely rotatable about horizontal, axes for rolling support of the platforms.

Mounted fixedly below the rotary tank 6 and forming part of the diffusion apparatus with the rotary tank is an assembly of successive juxtaposed pans arranged to be in registry with respective ones of bottomless cells 14 of the tank 6. Asshown in FIG. 3, a pan 40 is positioned to receive exhausted vegetal matter at the discharge station, a first pan 42 is positioned immediately behind pan 40, as seen in the direction of rotation of tank 6, at the charging station, and a series of intermediate pans 44, designed to receive the liquid diffusing product, are arranged therebetween, the first of the intermediate pans being behind pan 42 and the last intermediate pan being ahead of pan 40, all seen in the direction of rotation of tank 6.

A fixed continuous grating 46 is positioned between the bottomless tank 6 and the pans'42 and 44, the grating having a width slightly in excess of the diameter of annular tank 6. The grating is constituted by a series of parallel circular slats 48 concentrically supported equidistantly from each other on radially extending supports 50 in turn supported by the pans. The grating is interrupted, i.e. it defines an opening, above the discharge pan 40 to permit exhausted matter to be discharged into pan 40 by gravity.

The dividing walls 12 of the tank touch the grating lightly while the tank rotates over the fixed grating, and the vegetal matter compressed in the cells rubs against the grating. As shown in FIG. 3, the ends'52 of the slats 48 are chamfered or downwardly sloping to facilitate the passage of the walls 12 thereover during rotation of the tank.

Each intermediate pan 44 of the difiusion apparatus is connected by conduit 56 to the intake of pump 54 to remove liquid collected in the pan. The liquid collected in the first intermediate pan 44 positioned immediately behind the charging station is delivered by conduit 58 to a station (not shown) where it is further treated. The

' liquid collected in the other intermediate pans 44 is removed from the pans by respective pumps 54 and delivered by respective conduits 60 connected to the output of the pumps associated therewith above respective ones of the intermediate pans immediately behind the pan from which the liquid is removed, after the liquid has passed through the vegetal matter compressed in the cell in registry with this pan and through the grating underneath this cell. Thus, the extracting liquid circulates from pan to pan and countercurrently through the vegetal matter in the cells. Above the last intermediate pan 44 positioned immediately ahead of the discharge station, the pure solvent used for the diffusion is emptied through conduit 62. The pan 42 is in communication with the first intermediate pan 44 behind it through a port 64.

The output of the circulating pumps 54 may b equal or be superior to the output of liquid removed from the diffusion apparatus, which permits its recycling and an increase in the number of passages through the vegetal matter to the extent obtainable by the porosity thereof.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, means is provided at the charging station of the apparatus for compressing vegetal matter charged into a cell 14 positioned at this station. The illustrated means is constituted by a fluidoperated jack 68 mounted on support frame 70 at the charging station and carrying a solenoid-operated plate 72 at the outer end of the piston-rod. When magnetized by the solenoid, the plate 72 grips the permanently magnetic cover 74 to move the same glidably into the interior of the cell 14 after the cell has been charged with the vegetal matter by endless conveyor 84, and then to compress the charged vegetal matter in the cell by further movement of the cover in the interior of the cell. Reverse movement of the piston rod, after the gripping plate 72 of the jack has been magnetized and brought into gripping contact with a cover, will remove the cover from the interior of the cell to permit the same to be charged.

In addition, each cell has a bolting mechanism for maintaining the cover at a desired level in the cell after it has been moved thereinto by jack 68. The illustrated bolting mechanism comprises four retractable fingers 76 mounted in the wall of each cell and engageable with respective ones of four cooperating anchoring devices 78 in the cover 74. When the fingers engage the anchoring devices, the cover is clamped in place and held there during the entire diffusion process. Pressurefluid operated jacks 82 are operatively connected to the fingers 76 to retract the fingers out of engagement with their associated anchoring devices when it is desired to unbolt the cover.

As will best be seen in a joint viewing of FIGS. 9 to 11, each cover 74 is formed of a series of parallel T- shaped bars 104 interconnected by cylindrical rods 108 extending perpendicularly thereto and passing through elongated apertures 110 in the bars, the interconnections between the intersecting bars and rods being loose to permit play therebetween. The bars 104 are spaced apart by spacing tubes 112 mounted on the rods and having a diameter greater than the width of elongated apertures 110, some play being allowed between the spacing tubes and the adjacent T-bars. The assembled bars and rods are held together by suitable fastening devices 116 mounted at the respective ends of the rods 108, such as nuts, cotter pins or the like. The vertical legs 106 of the T-shaped bars 104 project into the vegetal matter compressed into the cell by the cover 74 while the solenoid-operated gripping plate 72 of jack 68 contacts and grips the horizontal leg 114 of the T- shaped bars upon actuation of the solenoid to grip the cover for movement with the jack. The play between the constituent elements of the cover permits the same to adapt itself to the surface of the compressed matter in the cell.

The details of the bolting mechanism are best illustrated in FIGS. 9, 12 and 13. As shown therein, the anchoring devices 78 each are constituted by a vertical rack defining a series of notches 118 engageable by an associated finger 76. The rack is pivotal about a horizontal pivot pin 120 parallel to the associated finger and journaled in stud 122 fixed on, or integral with, the horizontal leg 114 of the T-bar next to the outer tank wall 10. A nose 124 projects radially outwardly from the top of the rack for sliding engagement between guide rails 126 fixed to the tank wall 10, for guiding the cover during its vertical movement in the cell so that the finger 76 may properly engage one of the notches 118 in the rack, regardless of the deformations in the cover due to surface irregularities of the compressed vegetal matter in the cell, the pivot pin 120 permitting the rack to adjust itself so that the finger and notch are in alignment.

The fingers 76 are maintained in bolting engagement with associated notches 118 by springs 128 biasing the fingers radially inwardly, the springs being housed in bosses 130 mounted on, or integral with, the tank wall 10 and the fingers being journaled in these bosses for proper radial guidance. When it is desired to disengage the fingers from the notches, jack 82 is actuated to withdraw the fingers against the bias of springs 128.

The above-described apparatus operates as follows, as will be partly obvious from the description of the structure:

Assuming the apparatus to be used for the extraction of sugar from sugar cane, the extraction apparatus is preceded by conventional apparatus for preparing the sugar cane, by a first press and a second press.

The rotation of the diffusion tank 6 is intermittent.

While one cell 42 is charged at the charging station and another cell 40 is simultaneously discharged at the discharge station, the tank rotation is stopped. After charging and discharging are completed, rotation of the tank is initiated by operating jacks 24 so that the cell 42 is displaced from the charging station to the discharge station, this cycle of operations being repeated for each successive cell.

At the charging station, successive cells are filled with shredded and crushed sugar cane, and after treatment is completed, the bagasse is removed from the cells at the discharge station. The sugar cane is continuously wetted by the liquid supplied by conduits 60 and 62. As best seen in FIG. 3, the liquid is discharged into the cells from the top, with the exception of the cell immediately adjacent the discharge station, this liquid being the sugar juice coming from the pan under the cell positioned immediately ahead. The sugar cane con- As shown in FIG. 2, an arcuate screen 132 is mounted below the outlet of each conduit 60 so that only juice can pass into the center of the cell from this conduit while fine particles of cane, which pass through grating 46 and are entrained by the pumps 54 with the juice, are diverted towards the circumferential region of the cells rather than being deposited on the compressed sugar cane in the cell which would cause the permeability of the cane to be reduced and thus diminish the diffusion of the liquid through the cane for effective extraction of the sugar therefrom.

When the cell reaches the discharge station, the ex-, hausted cane contained therein falls by gravity into the pan 40 therebelow, whence it is removed by screw conveyor 86 (see FIG. 1). During the entire extraction between the charging and discharge stations, the cover 74 is held in position by the bolting mechanism.

When the discharge and charging operations of the adjacent cells 40 and 42 are terminated, jacks 24 are actuated to rotate tank 6 so that the emptied cell 40 is moved to the charging station where it becomes cell 42. Upon reaching this position, the rotation of the tank is halted again to permit charging of the cell in the manner best shown in FIGS. 4 to 8.

As soon as the tank stops rotating and the emptied cell is at the charging station, jack 68, which had been in its raised position, is lowered to bring the gripping plate 72 of the jack into contact with the horizontal legs 114 of the T-bars of cover 74. The solenoid associated with plate 72 having been energized, the plate 72 now is in gripping engagement with the cover 74. The jacks 82 are operated to withdraw fingers 76 from anchoring racks 78 (FIG. 4), enabling the cover to be lifted out of the cell by raising jack 68.

As shown in FIG. 8, a retractable feeding means 84 is mounted at the charging station for delivering the crushed sugar cane to the empty cell at the charging station, this feeding means being constituted by an endless conveyor band positionable above the cell at the charging station for filling the cell upon the glidable removal of cover 74 from the interior of the cell.

The endless conveyor band 84 is so mounted as to permit the conveyor to execute suitable movements to distribute the crushed sugar cane substantially uniformly over the entire cross section of the cell. When the tank 6 is rotated, the endless conveyor band is halted and radially retracted into the position shown in full lines 92 in FIG. 8. After an empty cell has arrived at the charging station and its cover 74 has been removed by jack 68, the mobile support for the conveyor is rapidly moved radially inwardly into the position shown in broken lines at 94 in FIG. 8, and the drive pinion of the endless band is rotated to move the band in the direction of arrow 100 so as to deliver crushed cane into the cell (see FIG. 5). During the filling opera tion, the conveyor is slowly retracted from its innermost position in the direction of arrow 98 while being simultaneously oscillated in the directions of arrows 96 so as to assure uniform distribution of the sugar cane. After the cell has thus been filled and the conveyor has reached the position indicated in broken lines at 102, the conveyor drive as well as the oscillating movement of the conveyor is stopped, and the conveyor is then rapidly retracted to inoperative position 92. As shown in FIG. 6, jack 68 is now lowered again intothe interior of the filled cell and moved downwardly until the compression of the sugar cane in the cell has reached a desired value which is determined by a preset pressure in the jack. When the cover 74 has reached the desired 5 level, the jacks 82 are depressurized to permit the The controls for jacks 24, 68 and 82 are synchronized for proper cyclic operation of the apparatus in the above-indicated manner.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many modifications and variations may be made in the described apparatus by substituting equivalent meansoperating in an equivalent manner for those herein illustrated by way of example. More particularly, a variety of systems may be used for displacing the cells, filling them, compressing the matter in the cells, and

bolting the covers in position.

the cells may be moved along two parallel rectilinear paths extending in the same plane or in different planes. These and other changes may occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.

lclaim: 1. An apparatus for extracting soluble substances contained in vegetal matter by diffusion, comprising 1. a charging station; 2. a discharge station; 3. a plurality of cells displaceable between the charging station and the discharge station, the vegetal matter being charged in each cell at the charging station and exhausted vegetal matter being discharged from each cell at the discharge station,

each of the cells comprising a. a cover glidably mounted in the interiorof the cell and b. a bolting mechanism for maintaining the cover matter, to compress the charged vegetal matter therein, the bolting mechanism holding the cover in the interior of the cell during the entire extraction operation at said level to maintain the vegetal matter compressed in the cell.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cover moving means is constituted by a jack including cover gripping means permitting the cover to be removed from the cell by the jack prior to charging the cell and to replace the cover in the interior of the cell after it has been charged.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the cover gripping means comprises a solenoid-operated plate.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bolting mechanism comprises retractable fingers mounted in the wall of the cell and engageable with corresponding anchoring devices in the cover.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising spring means biasing the retractable fingers into engagement with the corresponding anchoring devices,

and jacks for retracting the fingers out of engagement with the anchoring devices.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein vertical racks fixed to the cover constitute the anchoring devices and define notches engageable by the retractable fingers.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein each of the racks is pivotal about a horizontal axis parallel to the associated finger, and each rack comprises a nose engaged between guide means fixed to the wall of the cell.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the covers are formed of parallel bars interconnected by rods extending perpendicularly thereto, the interconnections between the bars and the rods being loose to permit play therebetween.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a fixed bottom grating under each cell and defining an opening for discharging exhausted vegetal matter at the discharge station.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a' 

1. An apparatus for extracting soluble substances contained in vegetal maTter by diffusion, comprising
 1. a charging station;
 2. a discharge station;
 3. a plurality of cells displaceable between the charging station and the discharge station, the vegetal matter being charged in each cell at the charging station and exhausted vegetal matter being discharged from each cell at the discharge station, each of the cells comprising a. a cover glidably mounted in the interior of the cell and b. a bolting mechanism for maintaining the cover at a desired level in the cell; and
 4. means at the charging station for glidably moving the cover into the interior of the associated cell, after the cell has been charged with the vegetal matter, to compress the charged vegetal matter therein, the bolting mechanism holding the cover in the interior of the cell during the entire extraction operation at said level to maintain the vegetal matter compressed in the cell.
 2. a discharge station;
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cover moving means is constituted by a jack including cover gripping means permitting the cover to be removed from the cell by the jack prior to charging the cell and to replace the cover in the interior of the cell after it has been charged.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the cover gripping means comprises a solenoid-operated plate.
 3. a plurality of cells displaceable between the charging station and the discharge station, the vegetal matter being charged in each cell at the charging station and exhausted vegetal matter being discharged from each cell at the discharge station, each of the cells comprising a. a cover glidably mounted in the interior of the cell and b. a bolting mechanism for maintaining the cover at a desired level in the cell; and
 4. means at the charging station for glidably moving the cover into the interior of the associated cell, after the cell has been charged with the vegetal matter, to compress the charged vegetal matter therein, the bolting mechanism holding the cover in the interior of the cell during the entire extraction operation at said level to maintain the vegetal matter compressed in the cell.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bolting mechanism comprises retractable fingers mounted in the wall of the cell and engageable with corresponding anchoring devices in the cover.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising spring means biasing the retractable fingers into engagement with the corresponding anchoring devices, and jacks for retracting the fingers out of engagement with the anchoring devices.
 6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein vertical racks fixed to the cover constitute the anchoring devices and define notches engageable by the retractable fingers.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein each of the racks is pivotal about a horizontal axis parallel to the associated finger, and each rack comprises a nose engaged between guide means fixed to the wall of the cell.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the covers are formed of parallel bars interconnected by rods extending perpendicularly thereto, the interconnections between the bars and the rods being loose to permit play therebetween.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a fixed bottom grating under each cell and defining an opening for discharging exhausted vegetal matter at the discharge station.
 10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a rotary annular tank divided by a plurality of radial walls, the cells being formed by the walls of the tank.
 11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a retractable feeding means for delivering the vegetal matter to the charging station, the feeding means being positionable above a respective one of the cells for filling the same with vegetal matter upon glidable removal of the cover from the interior of the cell and being retractable from the filling position after the cell has been filled. 